Background
Swan Hill Rural City Council (SHRCC) commissioned WMS Engineering to develop a comprehensive drainage strategy for the urban areas of Swan Hill and Robinvale.
This strategy aims to address stormwater management challenges caused by flat terrain, aging infrastructure, and increasing urban development.
Key Objectives
- Assess current stormwater infrastructure performance.
- Identify areas with stormwater drainage deficiencies.
- Develop hydrologic and hydraulic models using TUFLOW.
- Propose and evaluate mitigation options.
- Engage with community and stakeholders.
Key findings
- Both towns can experience flooding due to undersized pipes, blocked drains,lack of drainage infrastructure and pump station limitations.
- The 2023 rain event in Swan Hill (80.6 mm in 9 hours) validated the 2% AEP (Annual Exceedance Probability) model.
- Coincident storm events with high Murray River levels significantly worsens local drainage, especially in Swan Hill.
Community Engagement
- 19 attendees at drop-in sessions and 37 online survey responses.
- Community input helped identify priority areas and validate model outputs.
View the Strategy
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Strategy Summary
Purpose
To address stormwater management challenges in Swan Hill and Robinvale by evaluating existing infrastructure, simulating flood risks, engaging community input, and identifying effective and prioritised flood mitigation options.
Key Components of the Strategy
Major Issues Identified
- The flat terrain in both towns, combined with undersized or inadequate drainage infrastructure, contributes to ongoing drainage management challenges.
- Localised drainage issues identified particularly in Swan Hill (e.g. Main Drain, Butterworth Street) and Robinvale (e.g. Robin Street).
- Flooding events worsened by coincident river flooding and pump station limitations.
- Swan Hill's November 2023 flood (80.6mm in 9 hrs) validated model accuracy.
Next Steps
- Adoption of the Strategy and it's project recommendations.
- Conduct detailed design and cost-benefit analysis
- Prioritise high-impact projects for staged implementation